A man remained in critical condition Thursday after he was stabbed Wednesday in the parking lot of Dick's Sporting Goods in North Naples while confronting a suspected shoplifter, the Collier County Sheriff's Office said.

A suspect, Kenneth Wilkinson, 34, of Naples, was arrested and charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in the stabbing, a Collier County Sheriff's Office arrest report said..

The victim — identified by CCSO as Ronald Ankney, but no age or hometown given — and his girlfriend got into an argument with Wilkinson after they said they noticed he was shoplifting with another man inside Dick's on Naples Boulevard, the arrest report said.

Kenneth Wilkinson(Photo: CCSO)

After a verbal argument, Wilkinson stabbed the victim and attempted to flee, the report stated.

Both the victim's girlfriend and the friend who was with Wilkinson told deputies the same story, deputies reported.

Wilkinson said he stabbed the victim as "self-defense" because he "had him in a headlock" while his girlfriend was kicking him. However, deputies did not see any bruising that supported his claim, only a small cut, according to the report.

Deputies read Wilkinson his Miranda rights and he requested an attorney. However, he continued to give deputies information after they attempted to read him his rights again, the report said.

Wilkinson admitted he stole the knife from the store and said he cut himself in the bathroom while he was trying to open the package it came in, the report states.